A Spatial Technology Makeover for the Crop Insurance Industry

Across the US nearly all business sectors have enthusiastically adopted new technology.In direct contrast the crop insurance industry has been slow to adopt spatial technology -Earth observation satellite-based remote sensing image analysis GIS and digital recordkeeping. Spatial technology holds great promise to enhance accuracy efficiencyproductivity and profits for the crop insurance industry.This SBIR Phase I proposal seeks to test market interest accuracy and utility for a suiteof conceptual-stage spatial technology tools toward commercialization. To assurerelevancy of the proposed tools a strategic partner crop insurer will cooperate to receiveuse and evaluate accuracy and utility. To assure that the proposed tools will fit within astrict regulatory environment oversight and involvement has been requested from theUSDA-Risk Management Agency responsible for administration and regulation of thecrop insurance industry. If the results from this initial test application are positive theproposed tools will be adjusted according to project feedback and then programmed forautomation. Automation will enable expansion to regional-scale operational conditionswith the strategic partner crop insurer in a subsequent Phase II.From this initial SBIR Phase I research to eventual commercialization a phased programincorporating these concepts will have an outsized and positive impact compared to thefunds expended. All parties involved in US crop insurance will benefit from spatialtechnology; insurance providers; USDA-RMA farmers and the taxpayers subsidizingthe industry.